Badwater 135; Discussion Thread

If she’s running, I wonder if there will be any very suspicious results again

I also believe Paulson will be looking to avenge all the hatred from last year and will be extra motivated. Good luck to them all. Thankful I'll be on a plane to Eugene and not throwing up in Death Valley or trying to negotiate Mt. Whitney.

Well, I certainly knew this thread would go there.

She won. She's there to defend her title. She ran pretty fast (2:40s) in a number of marathons this year with the lead bicycle right in front of her the whole way, and there wasn't a sniff of an issue at Zion.

I suppose anyone who has a question is welcome to get out there and monitor her and her crew starting tonight.

Yoshi is back for a third run. Thinking he has to be the favorite to win. Dark horses Lewis and Whitaker. Would like to see Kostelnick make a run at it again. For the ladies, hard to bet against Paulson. McRae and Swinehart against the odds. Really have no clue because there's so many opportunities for failure and many factors in play. Just don't know how they do it. Bob Becker; incredible.

Is Goggins running? If not, then I don't care. Stay hard.

Goggins hasn't been in the 135 since 2014 when he DNFd. His best was in 2007 when he got 3rd.

Looks like a warm one today - forecast high of 117 in the Death Valley area.

Goggins is done for a bit.

2006-2010 was his peak. He never really stopped after his health issues but his last race was in November 2020.

Through 42 miles and there is an established rabbit (Simen Holvik at 5:30) with two chasers at 5:45 (Ishikawa and Lewis).

There's a long way to go but Paulson appears to be serving a mug of Shut the F Up to a lot of people, leading the women, in 5th overall at 5:57.

Anybody know why none of the runners had a split at 58 miles? (edit - Never mind. They added that column).

The top runners are through 72 with Harvey Lewis taking the lead (but his split makes no sense), followed by Holvik and Ishikawa. Paulson up a spot to 4th.

Happy to see Simen holvig out there, been following him for a few years and it’s been quite a ride to say the least. Surprised he’s gone out as hard as he has though

I see now. They have Harvey's elapsed time at 11:23.

Why is the RD, Chris Kostman, so...cringe-worthy? Like I watched a few videos of him both speaking and interacting with runners and he just seems like he is trying way to hard to be cool.

The way he interacts with any woman who is even remotely attractive is weird. Like you can totally tell he's trying to flirt but is so awkward about it that it just comes off as odd.

When was she last tested? Top 3 OA in Badwater right now.
Straight up.... I really want what she is on.

Updated post to the splits through 72 miles:

Holvik 10:22

Ishikawa 10:37

Paulson (F) 10:49

She just ran Grandmas and they have been known for testing in the past. It may have been very recently.

Not likely to drug test 259th OA /34th place female.

Are you also curious when these men were last tested? These guys are rather quick for being in their mid to late 40s.

No. I am unaware of anyone else on the top of the leaderboard being known as cheats or having a past of failed drug tests. Just her.